Instagram Upgrades Mobile Site with Photo Sharing and Explore Tab: Pursuing International Growth

Instagram has launched a photo-sharing feature for its mobile site, in its pursuit of global growth.

This will make Instagram a photo application for the whole world, whether users download the app or not.

Massive Upgrade

There are many places in the world where the network is slow and also data is costly. In this scenario, Instagram has offered a huge upgrade for the app, adding basic features of its main application to the mobile website, such as photo sharing and a lighter version of its Explore tab.

Stripped Down Website

Until now, the Instagram mobile website was a stripped down version of the app. Users could browse and Like pictures. They could also follow and search as well as view notifications on the mobile as well as the desktop website. However, they were not able to post pictures from the PC website.

In March this year, Instagram added features of sharing from the mobile website and now the Explore tab is also being rolled out. The other features that are still missing on the mobile website of Instagram are video uploads and filters, Direct Messages and Stories.

New Features

Instagram stated to TechCrunch that the website, Instagram.com, can be accessed from mobiles and offers an optimum experience for mobile users. The design allows users to have the complete experience of Instagram, regardless of the device or the network they are using.

Global Growth

Instagram is launching the mobile web as a part of its strategy for global growth, which is aimed at around 80% of the users being outside the United States. Instagram has also made other updates for its mobile website, with a sign up for the site, improved flow on board for users of lower end Android phones and an offline functionality as well.

Increased User Numbers

This has resulted in helping Instagram cross the monthly user number mark of 700 million. The final 100 million were added in the past four months, with a previous average of 100 million users being added after every nine months on an average, for the past several years.

Benefits of Mobile Website

There are many users all over the world who are not able to access a fast mobile network for downloading the Instagram application. They may not have the sufficient storage in their phones and the cost of data is also prohibitive. By offering the mobile website version, the user need not download the app and can avoid issues of data costs and storage, at the same time getting all the core functionalities of the app.

Launch of lighter Version

However, it is still not known whether Instagram will offer a Lite version of the native application. Facebook had released the Facebook Lite application, which now has around two hundred million users and another example is the Messenger Lite application.

Stepping Ahead

As of now, Instagram is one step ahead of Snapchat, its major competition. Snapchat does not work that effectively for Android users all over the world, as it is heavy in video features, so Instagram is now the major visual communication application for the world.